Kosovo Report (3) Mitrovica

Pizza in the north part of mitrovica,

where the Kosovo-Serbs live as majority.

Now I've finally finished my undergraduate thesis about german engagement to the european foreign policy. In this thesis I focused on the European Union Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) and argued that the mission lacks the mean to reconciliation between the Kosovo-albanians and the Kosovo-Serbs. However it is not the third party that should take actions. In this article I will just point out from my experience in Mitrovica that the history of Kosovo consists not only of the conflicts, but also of the co-existence of the two main ethnic actors in Kosovo.

Serbien church at the top of the moutain

in the north part of Mitrovica

At the park near the entrance of the north part,

where you can see the serbien flags in spite of the albanian flags.

Mitrovica is the simbol of the conflict between the Kosovo-Albanians and -Serbs. The city is devided into two parts by the River Ibar: the south Part is dominated by the Kosovo-Albanians and the north by the Kosovo-Serbs. If you go over the bridge to the north part, you cannot hear Albanian, nor use Euro, which is used as national currency in Kosovo, although the river is not a border, but just a river.

After having stayed in Pristina I went there with my japanese friend. Our bus from Pristina arrived at the south part of Mitrovica and we crossed the bridge, which was under controll by the KFOR soldiers.

Child in the north part of Mitrovica.

In a club in the North.

The most exciting moment came after the dinner at a restaurant in the north. We ate fish dishes and it was late at night around 23. We heard the beats of club music and went down there. We were welcome from heart, maybe because we were strangers there. We made cheers with Kosovo-Serbian guys and girls. What surprised us was not only the kindness of the people there, but also the islamic music, which also can be heard all over Kosovo including the south part dominated by the Kosovo-Albanians. When I saw the people dancing with that music, I figured out that the Kosovo-Albanians and Kosovo-Serbs share the same cultural background. Focused only on the Kosovo-conflict 1999, it would be difficult to have a look at the history in which the two actors live together at the same place. That wonderful experience at the club, however, made me notice the fact that they have lived next to each other over 700 years.